Rep. Delgado's Ninth Telephone Town Hall on Coronavirus

Hello and welcome to Congressman Delgado Live Telephone town Hall. My name is Amanda and I will be your moderator for tonight's call in a moment. I'll turn the phone over to Congressman Delgado for some opening remarks and to take your questions. But first, I want to explain the format for tonight's call. You are currently in listen only mode, which means you can hear me, but I cannot hear you if you'd like to ask a question Just press star three on your phone and you'll be connected with a member of our team who will take your question and get you. The queue to speak directly with Congressman Delgado, we'd like to get through as many of your questions as possible during this call, so we will limit participants to one question each pressing star three right now is all you need to do to ask your questions. If you have a case, we're concerned such as an issue with a federal agency, including Medicare, Social security or the VA. Please press start it to be connected with a case worker in our office and now I'm going to turn it over to Congressman Delgado. Thank you Amanda Good evening and welcome to everyone. Thank you for joining our night telephone Town Hall in as many weeks and certainly want to start by again. thanking our front line workers or folks in the health care space who are doing tremendous work day in and day out and also want to applaud the effort of our community at large for taking. The necessary steps to do the work to flatten the curve. We are not out of the Woods but I do think that we've all collectively made some sacrifices and I put ourselves in a better position as a result tomorrow the House will vote on the Heroes Act. This is the char's two point Oh package. it contains a wide range of important positions that will help us continue to address the impacts of the pandemic. I want to emphasize a critically important part of the Heroes Act and that is funding for state and local governments. the legislation includes 916 billion in direct aid for state and local governments and the former put force in my legislation, the direct support for Community Act would make sure that these payments go to every single community in the country regardless of size. this bill I was. To introduce a bipartisan basis with my colleague Lee Zeldin the bill requires that of the funding provided to localities half goes to cities, towns and villages and half be committed to counties. this would allow all upstate small towns to secure funding and support for their individual responses to this crisis. For context, the Cares Act provided a hundred and 50 billion in funding for state and local governments that was capped for communities with more than. Hundred thousand residents usualy applied to A hundred and 70 - one communities and excluded at a minimum more than 20 - 5000 small towns, cities and villages with populations under 500 residents that would be all of New York, 19 and so this has been a very important issue. I've talked to folks all across the district County officials officials. I know there are layoffs occurring at the County level. I know that the tax base is not what it used to be and when it comes to supporting our firefighters our police. Officers our teachers, our health care workers, it is of utmost importance that we secure this relief and we do so in a hurry and so I'm happy that we were able to have this formula included in the Heroes Act, importantly, the Government's locally will be able to use this federal relief to help address costs Associated with lost revenues lost revenues and responses to the pandemic and this is again. Meant to help avoid cuts to essential services this is so important and a big moment here for us to step up and do right by our communities, you know we have function on a bipartisan basis for four major pieces of legislation to address the Corona virus and this hopefully will be the next iteration of that effort just as a refresher. in the Cares Act, I was able to introduce my small business Repayment Relief Act, which provides a 70. To ensure that every small business with a qualified SBA loan automatically be relieved of their loan payments, including principal interest and fees for the next six months. it also expanded the economic injury Disaster loan program also known as Idd the I E D L program and created an emergency advances of up to 10000 as well as established the paycheck protection program, P and so this program as we all know, has been help. In terms of supporting our small businesses and two weeks ago, a bipartisan coalition passed additional legislation that provided more funding for the economic injury Disaster loan, as well as the P program. We also added 75 billion dollars for hospitals and 25 billion dollars for testing. The Heroes Act does speak to a number of issues that folks have addressed when it comes to the protection program. This is important I've heard the comment. About the fact that the paycheck protection program has an eight week long period that is too short and does not account for the fact that many of our businesses just aren't capable of opening up that fast and light of the social distance and guidelines that are currently in place. So we extended that in the Heroes Act from eight weeks to 24 weeks given business owners a longer runway. We've also heard folks lament the fact that there's a breakdown of how the money can be used. Five percent for payroll 25 percent for other expenses, including rent we eliminated that breakdown, so it's not 70 - 520 - five anymore. now it can be used as you see fit to get through this pandemic and remain sustainable. the bill also adds important accountability measures to ensure that these funds are getting too small businesses that need it. We're about a hundred and 25 billion dollars left in the PPP program, so please continue to utilize it. The remaining P funds must be used for small businesses with 10 or fewer employees. all the P funds all the P funds that were returned by big businesses. I will also go to small businesses with 10 or fewer employees, so there's a real focus in this heroes Act on true Mom and Pops small business enterprises the economic disaster loan. I've had to go back and forth with the SBA to make sure that our farmers are eligible. I'm happy to report that after. A bipartisan effort our farmers are indeed eligible for this disaster loan. However, we are hearing that the cap on the loan has been cut from two million down to I believe 250 or a hundred 50000. I've got a letter to get clarification on that fact and currently, it appears that not a business owners are not being provided access to the portal to apply so there are remains some challenges with the economic injury Disaster loan. We are continuing to put pressure on the agency and the administration the FBA to figure out how to resolve those issues related to the USDA has announced it's Corona virus food assistance program which would provide meaningful direct assistance based on price loss to local producers as well as purchase program where you'd see the USDA by a meat dairy specialty crops for the purpose of distribution. To food, banks, nonprofits and faith-based organizations to deal with food and security needs. I also joined a congressman Maloney and introducing the relief for America's Small Farms Act, which would provide one time debt relief forgiveness of up to $250000 for farmers who hold existing loan obligations with the USDA so another development there the Heroes Act also includes broadband funding. We all know how important broadband funding is particularly now in the. Conditions the bill has five point five billion dollars allocated for home Internet connections and the creation of WiFi hotspots for broadband service. The Corona virus has made it clear that the digital divide is just simply not acceptable. We must do more I do want to provide logistical updates for folks that are waiting on this stimulus payments. If you haven't seen your check in your account or can't give or get a live person on the phone or receive the check and air know that I brought these issues to the IRS and wrote to them with a Rep urging the. To get the rest of these checks out and restart their phone lines, I would encourage anyone who has yet to see these checks. visit. Where's my payment tool but Where's my payment tool on IRS dot Gov and use their automated line at eight hundred 91998 358 hundred 9198 35. Also, I wanna speak to the urgent need for unemployment insurance. I've heard from hundreds of folks who have reached out to my office to share their frustrations with the New York Department of Labor. My office is. Applications for the governor's office so if you haven't heard back, please reach out to my office, This is not imaginable time for so many families and small business owners and unacceptable that people are putting being put in a position where they have to sit and wait and not be heard. so please reach out to us. We coordinate with the governor's office on that front. the Heroes Act also takes another step for testing and hospital capacity, which you know is so important provides a hundred billion for hospitals and other health. Care providers for pandemic related costs and 75 billion for virus testing. I signed a letter this week to HHS Secretary as as our asking him to distribute funding to our nursing homes and long-term care facilities across the district. lastly statewide, there's now begun a phase reopening which actually I should say this week tomorrow new-york 19. There are four regions that are implicated the mid Hudson, the capital region, the southern tier and the Mohawk. Valley and two of these regions are slated to open up tomorrow the southern tier we'll be opening up tomorrow as well as the Mohawk Valley. we'll be opening up tomorrow Southern Tier of course includes Broome County and Delaware County and the Mohawk Valley includes Montgomery County Iago County Scarry County. there are the the Hudson Valley or the Hudson region, as well as the capital region Mid Hudson region the capital region. I believe they have five of the seven required metrics to begin reopening so the process is continuing on there. mid Hudson again Dutchess Sullivan Ulster Capital Region Columbia Greene. it's Harry. so this is where things stand with the opening process. I'm happy to be joined this evening or will be joined. At some point over the course of this evening, to make sure we address your concerns and your questions first by upstate New York branch manager at the SBA Jeff Boyce, as well as such as County executive Mark Molina and the Commissioner of Dutchess County's Department of Behavioral and Community Health Doctor Neil Bain. I wanted to just again thank them for taking the time to join this evening. I really appreciate all of their time and their wisdom. And with that we will begin with questions and the first question is Donald from Dutchess. Are you there? Donald? It looks like Donald has not made it through, but I do have this question and his question is he is not received his stimulus when can he expect to receive it and as I just noted Donald you know this is an area of concern I've heard from many of the constituents and certainly wanna do all I can to help this is an issue that I've led on with the congressman Cato with letters to the IRS. to be more accessible and transparent, I would encourage you anyone who is not yet received their funds to visit the Where's my payment tool on IRS dot Gov or use again their automated line eight hundred 9198 358 hundred 9198 35. In addition, the House is voting tomorrow on the bill, as I've talked about the heroes that will provide another round of direct payments to eligible taxpayers with up to $1200 per adult $1200 per dependent. Up to three dependents so that is what we are voting on tomorrow next up we have Andrew from Columbia County. Thank you Congressman Delgado and Thank you very much appreciate the information you answered most of my questions it sent it on P and regarding the small businesses we just lost one of our restaurants that have been here in town for over 30 years. They just put up a for sale sign I I know that the program has benefited a lot of mid-sized businesses but How quickly do you would expect the elements of extending this and making sure the small businesses will get the help yes and very important question the last bill we passed about two weeks ago. there was an effort to carve out We the program up. it was running out of funds And I'm sure you know and we added about 300 billion or so more to the. 60 billion of that was carved out for underserved communities or under banked communities rural areas in particular and that's been helpful. we also in light of the order that the Treasury to have those publicly traded companies Fortune 500 companies returned their resources their money that's gonna also add to the pot so we do like I said. currently we are sitting on about a hundred and 20 billion dollars in the fund. and so I would encourage folks to continue to utilize that we have taken steps to ensure that that funding gets to the right places, but there was more steps to be taken and we are trying to do that in the bill that we're voting on tomorrow which as I note, makes it clear that a percentage of the funds 25 percent of the remaining funds will be used for small businesses with 10 or fewer employers in any of the big businesses that return their loan funds. That money must go to a small business with 10 or fewer employees, so we're taking extra steps and hopefully we'll be able to get this bill through the House and Senate in a timely fashion to be able to deliver these changes Jeff if you want to speak to this at all, given your role by all means Well sure Congressman Thank you very much and I would just first start by echoing your comment that there's still more than a hundred billion dollars to be deployed to this. So we're we're anxiously encouraging every small business and private nonprofit Organization who hasn't yet applied to need these funds to please do so regarding loan sizes. I'll just say this so round one of the paycheck protection program. you know, while some of those big ones got an awful lot of press, I just wanna quickly share with you some data so 70 - five percent of the loans issued to around one or for a hundred and $50000 or less. that was good, but we knew we could do better and as the congressman said he round two with the additional 300 and. One billion that was allocated there were two parts that he said, specifically allocated for small and medium-sized lenders. we also established a special hours for submission dedicated to small banks and credit unions. We gave them some dedicated hours to submit their loans so that they have preference in getting them in and the result was that really today around two has been all about small and medium lenders making small loans to small businesses so again some numbers. Five percent of the loans made today to round two have been for $50000 or less, and the average one size now has been decreased to $73000. so that's a great progress. We're making small loans. We're reaching more small businesses. that's appropriate. That's helpful and we're proud of those statistics. I appreciate that Jeff I would do want to reiterate again in the Heroes Act. that's up for a vote some a couple more additional points here. The 70 - five payroll first 20 - five for other expense breakdown. we are going to try to eliminate. With the heroes that we do and eliminate that with the Zach and we do extend the loan period of eight weeks to 24 weeks, which I think is consistent with the fact that many of our businesses are gonna find it difficult to ramp all the way back up within eight week period giving some of the social distancing requirements that have been in play and just the very nature of certain industries. So I think hopefully we can continue to work on that. as a reminder, you can press star three to get in the queue to ask. Question and next up we have Anne from Delaware County, Delaware County. Hello. yes, you are and you're there. Yes. Can you hear me. I can hear you. Anne Okay. my concern is the upcoming election in November specifically as the US Post Office is being attacked. I feel like Trump and the Republicans they've been trying to privatize it for 20 years or more, and can they. Do I mean I don't know what you guys are talking about in Washington to protect it, but I mean there's no way we can have mail by voting without it Well, I'm with the 100 percent on the need to protect the post office. it is of utmost importance and I have you know voiced my position on that repeatedly and loudly and I've recently joined my colleagues in calling for 25 billion in support to ensure the post office can continue it's critical. Work, especially in rural communities like we have in upstate our seniors veterans so many others depend on the service. The post office provides. I am very pleased that the Hero Act again. they're voting on tomorrow does provide 25 billion in funding for the post postal service so we are hoping to make that push. That's so important that even with socialist measures in place. Individuals still have access to our Democratic election process. The Heroes Act also includes three point six billion dollars in state grants, three point six billion in state grants to prepare for elections during the pandemic and implement vote-by-mail absentee ballot voting as well as other measures, so there has been an effort underway and it's clear in the Heroes Act that we're trying to make sure that we both protect the post office. And also make sure that people can continue to exercise their right to vote during the pandemic. so I think we have next in forgive me if I don't get your name correct Cheyne from Ulster. Hello, it's hello. yes. Hi, yeah. it's cheyennes from All Star Cheyne Cheyennes Yes. okay. Thank you for taking my questions and everyone else's. my my concern is unemployment. I know you talked about it briefly two minutes ago, but you mentioned flagging applicants who are still not yet heard back from New York State. I applied March 20. -second today is May fourteenth and I just heard back to. My application of a few weeks ago, I think late April and like everyone else, I also have bills to pay and I'm not sure how to get through the New York City. I can't letters. I've tried to call I sent messages and I've got nowhere So I just wanna know the process and getting my I guess application flags in your office to you know it's starting to get difficult to Cheyne. I I hear you loud and clear. And I certainly understand and appreciate your frustration and as I've noted in your right to it, you know we are doing everything we can to coordinate with the governor's office to take cases directly and so I would absolutely encourage you to reach out to my office tomorrow so that we can help with some information on your behalf. we have been successful. in helping residents here like you secure unemployment and we wanna continue to help in any way, shape and form the best way to do that. There's two ways one is to call my office at eight 4543293 zero eight 4543293 zero or go to the website. Delgado dot House dot Gov, and there's a phone appointment tool that you can utilize there as well. Also encourage you to visit the New York State just generally not just you, but everybody who's listening who's having this issue to visit the New York State Department of Labor website for resources related to unemployment. these are in fact distributed at the state level and if you've already applied again, you can reach out to my office and we will flag the application the Cares Act expanded unemployment to self employed workers importantly, and also. The weekly benefit amount by 600 the heroes that continues to extend the unemployment benefit through January 30, -first 2020 - one and it provides about 920 - five million to assist with processing the record number of unemployment applicants that we're seeing so Cheyne. I appreciate that and and by all means reach out to my office next we have shirley Delaware County. Bye. Hello, I Shirley I thank you mister Delgado for all. you're doing. I thank you for you initially and I'm really pleased with my decision. Thank you just need to be so proactive and so involved and you really care. That means a lot. Thank you sir. Well, it means a lot to me to have an honest politician that being informative and straight forward. I don't live in Delaware County and it's a very poor count. I'm in a rural area and a lot of us don't have Internet or if it's they've been coming through and putting it in. but people like my. Can't even afford a computer or the Internet, a lot of the government advertisements only in included Internet access or like if you call the security or different place. They say it would be quicker if you go to the Internet. Alright, I did hear your initial speak and you did answer a lot of questions on that you're working on that. but I'm. What can you do because a lot of the kids in our area are not in school? We have to go through Internet and I'm concerned well. Shirley. I'm concerned right along with you. you know, I have been beating the drum on the need for rural broadband since I first entered into office. you know as I travel across the district and and and again we're talking about district. That's the eight most rule in the country at a 435 districts we are seeing way too many of our communities left. When it comes to receiving broadband access and it's having a profound impact, it had a profound impact even before the pandemic. But now when you're talking about homeschooling when you're talking about small businesses have to transition into a more online presence when you're talking about telemedicine, it is an utmost importance that we treat broadband like FDR did back during the New deal as a basic utility when it comes to electricity. he enacted the. Electrification Act, The government stepped up and make sure that no community was left behind. We have to make sure that our community is here are not left behind and I've been very busy in this space. I've introduced legislation to ensure that we get better mapping and not senses black mapping. I've introduced legislation to make sure that providers are given the FCC real information and not just what they advertise to consumers like how how fast they run their Internet. In fact, it's not the actual number so we are working tirelessly on this. I even brought the FCC. Commissioner one of the SEC commissioners to the district for a field hearing on this very issue So very big priority of mine and the Heroes Act. Yes, as I flag provides five point, five billion for broadband services, specifically one point five for WiFi hotspots and connected devices for students and library patrons and four billion for emergency home. connectivity needs it also entitled households where a member has been laid off or furloughed to get a 50. To put toward the monthly price of Internet service and it prohibits broadband and telephone providers from employing data caps or charging customers from going over data caps. so we are working very hard. it also allocates two billion for a temporary expansion of the SF, the FCC's rural health care program to support health care providers, broadband services. so Shirley. I'm all over this and it's it's such an important issue was before the pandemic. you continue to be so as we move forward and hopefully We'll be able to make some progress on the heels of this pandemic, so thank you. next want to bring in Jacquie from Sullivan. Good afternoon Representative Delgado. How are you this afternoon? I'm doing well. How are you doing? Oh pretty good there? sir. my question goes like this. I'm an employee of the United States Department of Agriculture and the Food Safety Inspection Service, and they said I'm calling regarding the health and safety of my fellow inspectors and I if I could real quick just read to or headlines one from Adri Puls, stated April tenth, USDA inspectors told find their own masks and from Bloomberg. May thirteenth for USDA inspector dies from virus outbreak Now we work shoulder to shoulder alongside those in the processing industry to provide safe and wholesome product of the American people. You know, we're damn proud to do our part right now to keep food on American tables. We don't have inspectors calling out nobody's dodging their responsibilities. I don't know if you recall a few weeks ago, Representative pretty much in another lifetime. We spoke in person at a town Hall that night, I asked you to protect the federal workers. I I have to reiterate that and make a call to action to please protect us. we're we're dying out here alongside these meat processors. I've had a fellow with this Saturday. we'll be at rest. you just have some pro from our meat factory. you know I I you know so I'm. For you know there's little by little, but we need both a short and a long-term plan, not only for the inspectors that ensure the wholesomeness of this product, but those who put it out, you know, absolutely. I don't expect an answer right here. right now. I mean cuz it's a complicated issue of what I'd like, maybe as possibly, you know the opportunity to set up a teleconference with yourself several local inspectors right here in the district. you know voice our concerns on safety for like I said the immediate and And long and short term goal, I also know Shawn Patrick Maloney there our neighboring congressman advertisers on his webpage that he was proud to fight to be on our agricultural Committee and House Committee. if we could possibly get one or two of you or anybody to speak with us about our concerns for like I said a long-term strategy short-term strategy we need to stay out in the field and we need the people we work shoulder to shoulder with to stay out in the field so that we can keep food on the shelves. You know absolutely. And I hear you loud and clear and and just as a initial matter please you know connect with my team. you know the number eight 4543293 zero or set up a phone appointment at Delgado dot House dot Gov and we can talk about making sure that we can connect to address this issue. you know thank you first of all for your service for being on. Front lines doing what you're doing putting yourself in harms way to make sure that essential business continues our a supply chain has been severely disruptive and you and your colleagues keep things going and ensure safety standards are being met and for that I and I'm sure so many others are truly grateful. it is unacceptable that health care worker. Farm workers and other essential business industries are struggling to get this much needed equipment. I've repeatedly called upon the administration to fully utilize the Defense Production Act which would allow them to require private manufacturers to reduce this equipment for purchase by the federal government and we're certainly gonna continue to do that. I'm acutely aware of the dynamics on the ground there I've had conversation. With the public health Director Nancy Mcgraw you know, I was engaged at the town Hall as you and I wanna continue to do whatever I can to help for sure I wanna bring in Doctor Vivian you know not to offer his perspective on this issue particularly obtained to the public health risks making sure that we're protecting our essential workers. Inspectors in this case. Thank you, Congressman Delgado. I think it's important that in terms of the multiple strategies that we employ to protect the good the public as well as essential workers that again we think about not only employing things like social distancing into day-to-day activities, but obviously the use of an availability of Pss is critical, especially economy our economies restarted especially as. And and other infrastructure facilities are open it's important that all these layers of protection utilized to to sort of assist Natalie the general community but workers and social workers who are on the front lines. Bye. Well, Juliana from Delaware County. Alright, what you like we lost Juliana. the question she asked is glad that the Heroes Act extends the P timeline, but the real issue is that there's a timeline doesn't start when you actually get your loan. do these changes allow flexibility the Heroes Act would extend the time the timeline from eight weeks to 24 weeks. you know beginning at the start of your loan disbursement. And this would also be retroactive so the folks who've already received a P loan would also get the extension so I hope that speaks to your question. I do wanna see if Jeff do you have anything you wanna add to this Congressman just so you know we get the SBA will administer the program you know for the direction and the legislation passed by Congress as you said, it's currently an eight-week period that begins to spur. The loan from the lender to the borrower that starts the clock and it continues for an eight week period and you know the business does not have to be open during this time period. What's required is that they are spending the bunnies during that eight week period to pay their employees, whether they come to work or not so the changes as you mentioned could allow some additional flexibility there and we'll be working on that. you can see to see what happens. I do now wanna bring in Patty I believe we have up next from Dutchess. Pattie are you there? Well, it looks like we may have lost Patti but I do know that I believe she's on the line she might be on you. I'm not on you. Hello Congressman Hi Patty. Thank you for doing this. Thank you. my question is about nursing homes in the rural areas. Why are we having people in our community? moved out to other nursing homes to make room for avis from the city? Okay. Well, I I you know, I'm not I can't speak directly to whether or not that is in fact happening in Dutchess County, but we do have the County exec on the line with us who are very much appreciate him taking the time Mark if you want to speak to this question and and whether or not this is in fact a situation here sure and thanks Congressman I appreciate you joining you again and and I wanna on behalf of our residents and by the way I'm behalf of the 1900 public health departments across the. Across America, extend our appreciation for your sponsorship of the Heroes Act and what we hope will be Congress is a commitment the federal Government's commitment to support the County governments as we continue to respond to the crisis. So we we're very appreciative of that and I speak on behalf of my colleagues. the good thing about Patti is that that is not occurring in Dutchess County. we had established some some weeks ago, a work group that needs some works. And coordinates regularly with nursing homes. we know that the the patients the residents of nursing homes, Pss the highest degree of risk, and of course, are among the most vulnerable which is why at least I can say Dutchess and I would offer in Ulster County. We've made an aggressive effort to work with the administration to minimize the risk limit the numbers of people coming and going and take the appropriate precautions. the good news is in dutchess. we we we you know we've been work. To provide the appropriate protections sadly, we know that the disease has found its way into our nursing homes, but they all have appropriate plans to manage and we coordinate with them. Dutchess and Ulster County initiated a county-wide testing of patients so with our behavioral and community health Department. we're working every day to test individual patients identify whether or not they have a contracted cot and if they have work with the providers there to to protect them and to. to work to slow the spread of the disease I also know that you may know the governor initiated in order that that staff be tested we're waiting on on the state to provide a direction for that to happen, but we believe rapid testing of staff is is appropriate and it's a good way of protecting the staff and and the patients and all end by saying that nursing homes all across the state have been have been met with a great challenge and I. Be very cautious in in and also offering that the the folks who work in these facilities care deeply about their patients about the women the men they work with and are working every day and I just wanna be careful that we not you know add to the burden and anxiety that they have they're doing. they're doing angelic work to keep our loved ones alive to interact with their families and to be sure that they're providing care. this is a challenging moment, but I can say in Duchess, we're not experiencing what you're concerned about but we are working every. To provide the right protection by coordinating with those with those nursing homes and their staff. Thank you Mark and and thank you for the kind words and for your leadership on the ground as well. I do wanna add to that you know, CDC data shows that deaths among nursing home staff and residents accounts for about a third of total US coro virus deaths and so it's devastating. It's a big issue at the federal level that we're focusing on the HHS has been a bit too slow to. Congressional provided funding out the door to the facilities but just yesterday, I joined my colleagues and getting the funding to these facilities right away so they can purchase the PE they need and implement other policies to keep residents and workers safe during this time, so thank you for your question. Patti the next I would like to bring in Suzanne from Ulster. Hey. Thank you Congressman for having this event and answering questions. my concern today is about rapid testing being available statewide and Countrywide really because I don't think until we can be assured that people are not carrying the virus. I don't think we'll be able to open our schools and a lot of our businesses without people having the confidence to be able to interact in those settings so I'm very disappointed that the federal government took about a two -month lag time to respond at all, and it doesn't seem as though the federal government is currently that interested in pursuing an accurate quick response test for it's people and I wondered what the Congress can do to insist that the administration be the leader in that area. I think it's an important question and you're right to link testing to our ability to reopen in my estimation of those two things go hand in hand as we reopen and as we continue to reintegrate slowly, but surely what we do is run the risk of making ourselves more vulnerable and we do create the potential for another outbreak of significance and the only way to. Protect ourselves against that shouldn't happen again is to have testing available and to be able to test and then contact trace and then contain the potential outbreak and it is clear and I agree that the administration has not so it to create a National master plan if you will that speaks to how we collectively as a country to meet this moment when it comes. Testing the administration has decided to empower the States and do so without really providing a plan of action now in the last bill that we passed two weeks ago, the interim three point five, though we did provide 25 billion dollars for testing and we have more money that we're allocating to the heroes that we're voting on tomorrow now in that bill that we passed to. To go, there was also language that directed the administration to provide a strategy for the implementation of testing on a National level. I don't believe we have yet received any such plan but we have taken steps to at least request and direct the administration to take these steps because I do think again as we open up the testing piece is of critical importance. As I noted earlier, I do think it was important. Administration early on to fully utilize the Defense Production Act, and for some reason it has chosen not to do so but again we at the federal level at the congressional level have passed legislation putting in more money for testing putting in more money for P E and have made it clear that we would like to see the administration device a testing plan doctor Vivian you know, could you speak a? To the testing piece to this and and it's relevance from your vantage point. Thank you Congressman I think County executive Mol know pointed out that. Testing testing is critical mainly because again if there is a long time from testing to when we get the results our efforts at containment and tracing is delayed if we know a turn around time within an hour or two, but someone working in a nursing home or in a school is positive. Those containment efforts are can be timely and it has. A very substantial public health impact and benefits so testing that we currently have while accurate to a degree requires days for the results to come back so rapid testing is critical to our future response, not only in terms of containment and mitigation from a public health standpoint, but also from an economic standpoint. Absolutely and and thank you for sharing that I think it's very important perspective Doctor I really appreciate that next up. I believe this is going to be our last question. I do wanna give some time for our panelists to leave some closing remarks but next we do have Mercedes from Ulster. Hi, I just wanted to first. Thank you for everything but especially excited for this P revisions. it's the dressing like exactly the issues and problems that we're facing as a small gymnastics facility and my question is about the intent employee requirement. we have 15 employees and 13 of them are part time, so we've truly are a mom and pop, but with that put us into another left out category or Does the 10 It's like it's like full time equivalent Yes and I wanna make sure I understand your question in terms of micro businesses and and are they eligible for the P program is that what you're asking No-I you had mentioned in the beginning about expanding loans to 10 or fewer employees businesses with fewer employees and so I'm wondering if that's FTEs or actual bodies because if it's actual bodies and that leaves us out again. Ah, I see what you're saying but in either scenario, I guess my question is are you saying that you? You don't have 10 or fewer employees in your business, you're saying we have 15 people that 13 of them are very part time. Okay. I understand well a couple of things one just because money has been set aside for companies with 10 or fewer people. It doesn't mean small businesses with 10 or more, you know, particularly you know of your size. are not eligible that you continue to be eligible for the. Program The focus here was to ensure that because so many of small businesses, particularly those with 10 or fewer have not been able to access these funds, there was an effort just to make sure that a portion a portion of the remaining amount of PB set aside, but your business certainly you know would qualify based on the current dynamics you've laid out So I would encourage you to apply andr respective of the fact that. Of that money has now been siphoned off for businesses with less than 10 people so by all means you can do that and to be clear zero or fewer employees are able to access and 10 or more. you know up to 500 are able to apply so please you know, despite the fact that some of the funding has been pushed aside, go ahead and apply for that. I do want. To to to bring the town Hall to a close before I do that I want I know my my friend Marko has to run and I wanna give him an opportunity to provide some remarks and thank you for for joining us again. I believe you were you know my very first. you know one of these at the very top of the pandemic and appreciate you coming back again. Do everything you wanna share I will I and we appreciate it as well and we appreciate your support over this last 60 days and I appreciate that you've Advantage of the both the brilliance and professionalism of our Commissioner of Health doctor is an infectious disease doctor and his his background and his work has been a vital along obviously with his staff and and those within our Department. so I'll I'll I'll extend from there to tell you Congressman you know beyond our own work together to respond to the crisis locally counties across America are facing a real challenge and I hope. Listening understand that you know when when presidents and and and members of Congress and governors and mayors need testing sites established when they need contact Tracers when we respond to to an outbreak, it is in fact in a County health Department that leads that effort and so your commitment to identifying funding and direct aid to County governments is critical. those of us New York are looking at significant losses in revenue. Which will really stress our ability to provide those services from food stamps to child protective services to 911 dispatchers along with really stressing our ability to continue to respond effectively. We want to do the work that federal state and local leaders expected of us and so the heroes at and and and your support of that funding is critically important and I and I just wanna I wanna be on the end by saying that it is in fact those public work. All across New York state that have been on the front line for the last 60 days are are grateful for that for that commitment and every day dedicating themselves to responding to this unprecedented times in this historic crisis and and our ability to continue to do that work is is I think certainly we all understand very very critical. as we move forward. So thanks for the time out, I'll be very candid with you. I have had more conference calls in the last 60 days and then I think in my lifetime and I have 30 minutes to eat dinner with. With my children, so I apologize that I'll be leaving you but I'm I certainly empathize as the father of laboy myself. so I I appreciate it and certainly wanna make sure you get that time and and thank you for your leadership. Thank you for your efforts on the ground and and look forward to connecting with you down the road and certainly want to do all. I can to your point to meet the moment and support our public workers. do this Heroes acts So I appreciate you elevating that it's a very. And peace to all of this as you well know so thanks again. Thank you. Thank you next. I wanna bring in Jeff if you wanna close out and provide your remarks as well, certainly Congressman first of all, Thank you again for the opportunity to join you and another one of these conversations. It's very helpful for us to get the word out to folks in your district. so I appreciate that I would just sum up by reminding folks that the US Small Business Administration exists to provide financial and. Technical assistance to small business entrepreneurs, and there are three programs that I wanted to stress that are relevant to today's conversation. Now the first is the economic injury disaster loan these are low interest long term working capital loans since the invention that Cares Act to the idol loans that up to $10000 emergency disbursement. he also mentioned that we're currently accepting applications under that program for a Enterprises essentially farmers, but if there are farmers out. The district please apply for that program. you do that by going to our website SBA dot Gov. Do that today Do that tomorrow? Please second is the paycheck protection program is the congressman mentioned there's still more than a hundred billion dollars left the person who asked the question here just a few minutes ago, I would encourage her tomorrow and to go and apply for that funding you do that differently. you go to one of the SBA approved the lenders a Bank or a credit Union you can find. Approved lenders by again going to our website putting in your zip code, it returns a list of lenders that are near to you. so please if there's a small businesses or private nonprofit organizations who haven't yet applied for whatever reason now is the time to do it. please apply for that program. Get the money you need. Finally technical assistance. I would just remind folks that the SBA has excellent resource partners the most important of which probably the prominent would be the small business development. SBDC networks these folks provide counseling and mentoring Uhf funded by their experts on SBA programs seek them out They can help you to complete the applications for the programs I mentioned, but importantly, they can help you create modify a restructure your business plan to deal with this disaster to make the most strategic use of these funds and hopefully come out of this a better stronger and to survive for the future. So those are my closing. Thank you. Jeff I really appreciate you taking the time. Thank you for providing a thorough and comprehensive information for the listeners and last, but certainly not the least Commissioner Thatcher County's Department of Behavioral Community Health. I'm a Doctor A Neil by the I just like to close with the the the statement that again we are very early in this fight and as the community. Are restarting it's it's very critical that all of us have a plan for self care, so not only does does that include you know taking the proper care of ourselves with regard to nutrition and exercise, but also thinking about a mental health and and reaching out if you are experiencing mental health issues or depression or other aspects of be able to help you. I just want to just encourage everyone that again. This is a long fight and and hopefully as we pull together as a community as a people that will get through this. Absolutely and and thank you Doctor as always for your insights and for the amazing work that you do I want to just conclude by thanking everyone who's dialed in and taking the time I hope you found this helpful and informative a few quick reminders as we wrap up the New York State Corona Virus hotline is eight 3643 zero 658 3643. 65 My Kingston Office eight 4543293 zero eight 4543293 zero. There is a phone appointment tool and Covid- 19 Resource guide on the website. Delgado dot House dot Gov Delgado dot House dot Gov. Finally, if we didn't get a chance to take your question An opportunity to leave a voicemail with my office at the end of this call and we will be sure to get back to you as the doctor said. continue to practice self care. Please stay healthy and stay well. God bless.